ARMISTICE VR Training Program
"ARMISTICE" is short for "ARM Insurgent Special Training Instructional Course Executable". It was created by Hasala Nabin with the technical assistance of Steve, at General Miyamoto de Bergerac's request. It is intended as a learning tool for off-screen ARM NPC guerrilla fighters. First post is here, second post is here. Pancaek's video about Sods is here. Also of note, one intermediate action was missed and then run in a PM; of note, piecewise mentioned that VR machines are uncommon on outer rim worlds where most of our insurgencies are occurring, and that we may need to ship some VR machines to them for them to be able to use the program. This is part of the reason why all of the lesson "scenarios" are available as videos. Presumably, they all have Internet access. Summary ARMISTICE is a VR program with similar simulation capability to the Duel program. Upon entering the program, a VR version of Hasala, wearing a generic, utilitarian field officer's uniform, appears near a floating menu of available videos and scenarios. VR Hasala explains what an option is for when it is selected. There are generally two types of selections: lessons, which are at the top and are mostly videos, and practice scenarios below them, for guerrillas to practice marksmanship, tactics, etc. Scenarios Weapon Safety and Handling This scenario deals with proper firearm handling. Basic lessons anyone with a gun should know: keep your finger away from the trigger unless you actually want to fire, keep the safety on and the gun unloaded (if applicable) when not in use, pointing the gun at the ground when not aiming at something, never fire from the hip, use bursts when firing automatic weapons and sweeps with lasers, etc. Video. Firearm Familiarity This is the scenario where all of the standard UWM and ARM guns are explained. Video & Scenario. Video version has Hasala go through the UWM guns, then the ARM guns. Scenario does the same, but VR Hasala will ask for and answer questions between guns. Firing Range It's a firing range. All of the guns from the Firearm Familiarity scenario are available for practice. Other weapons can be added to the scenario by talking to VR Hasala and/or adding files to the scenario's weapons folder. VR Hasala also specifically tells them to request more appropriate weaponry if they'll be using mostly gunpowder-based weapons, and how to make them the default selection for the scenario. Tactics I This scenario teaches the users about situational awareness, coordination, and avoiding friendly fire. VR Hasala narrates while a team of Sods go through the proper motions. Video. Tactics II This scenario teaches the users about cover, and explains the difference between partial cover (which blocks line of sight, but doesn't provide protection against UWM weapons fire) and full cover (which blocks both line of sight and weapons fire). It also explains the necessity of taking a split second to do friend-or-foe recognition, to prevent friendly fire or civilian casualties. VR Hasala narrates while a team of VR ARM troopers go through the motions, including shooting UWM Sods through partial cover and being protected by full cover, while avoiding shooting civilians caught in the middle. Video. Tactics III This scenario teaches the users about stealth and the benefits of having the first volley, clearing a room with minimal losses, suppression fire, executing ambushes, etc. VR Hasala narrates while Sods go through the proper motions. Video. Know Thy Enemy (Sods) This is Pancaek's technical video about Sods. Beating Battlesuits This scenario explains the strengths and weaknesses of a battlesuit and shows a few ways to take them down, including the paint trick, blocking/targeting the joints, opening up the cockpit to get at the pilot, etc. It stresses that battlesuit armor is pretty damn tough, which is why disabling the battlesuit is so much easier than destroying it. It also describes the various built-in systems. Video. Combat Scenarios (Multiple) These are bunch of VR scenarios that pit the users against UWM forces, composed of non-Sod soldiers, Sods, and battlesuits. There are two types: objective-oriented, and freeform. Objective-oriented scenarios give the users an objective to complete, usually taking over and/or defending a location from UWM forces. The game program gives them a score at the end based on how well they did (accuracy, collateral damage, friendly fire/civilian casualties, deaths, injuries, coordination, tactics, etc.) Have the program track the highest score, to give users a bit of incentive to do well. Freeform scenarios give no objective, and are similar to Duel matches in that the users are dropped into a semi-random environment and have to fight UWM forces. They might be relatively evenly-matched, hopelessly outnumbered, or anywhere in-between. Both types of combat scenario (objective and freeform) can take place in different environments; including urban, underground, Arctic, forest, grasslands, mountains, jungle, swamp, desert, etc. Development is ongoing. Guerrilla Strategy Guerrilla war By: Miyamoto de Bergerac 1) What is guerrilla warfare - general definition - differences to ‘conventional’ warfare: guerrilla as a tool, not a goal on itself - historic examples: a few quick examples (broad overview) for use throughout the rest of the series to provide concrete examples for the more abstract theory, eg. the red moon rebellion. 2) guerrilla strategy -general military strategy: a quick overview of principles that hold true in most armed conflicts of any nature. Example quote: “It is important that one carefully plans and thinks through actions and operations before committing to them. However, one cannot allow himself to be paralyzed by this. There comes a point at which one has done all the information gathering and planning that can be reasonably achieved, after which action must follow. You will never know everything there is to know, or be able to plan for every possible contingency. So, be deliberate but decisive. Example quote: "The conventional army loses if it does not win. The guerrilla wins if he does not lose." -Henry A. Kissinger- -The importance of propaganda and guidelines on how to employ it, with links to Lars’ and Charles’ vids. -political aspect: Guerrilla warfare as a political continuum. Stress that there are multiple ways that can lead to independence from the UWM, and that all should be considered and employed where possible. One should try to attract both the working masses to your cause, but also the upper classes of society. For example, if the local government is a democracy, trying to install politicians into power that are loyal to your cause might buy influence and power without needing bloodshed. However, this might also mean assassinating the sitting rulers and staging a coup, gaining control without large scale actions being necessary. Point out the need to minimize collateral damage where possible, to avoid losing public support. -military aspect: a quick overview of the different levels at which the enemy can be engaged, from small scale guerrilla to larger, more organised cells, to conventional army units. Explain the differences, strengths and weaknesses of each, and emphasize that one must be flexible. These different levels of centralization can be used alongside each other, and depending on the situation some are more usable than others. Example quote: “Consider for example the Red Moon Rebellion. It consisted mostly of guerrilla-style tactics, where the under supported UWM regulars were beaten back by dedicated insurgents. However, once the UWM decided to clean ship and was willing to gas the entire colony, the focus should have changed to a more focused, direct defense. While hit and run tactics are great for slowly sapping the strength of an enemy while preserving yours, it will not be sufficient if capturing the central air filtering system allows them to gas the entire colony. In such a case, one must at some point draw a line in the sand, for otherwise all is lost anyways.” -General guidelines on organisation of guerrilla and army units, from urban cells hiding among the populace to those using terrain features such as mountains to cover themselves. 3) guerrilla tactics -Field tactics: will mostly be links to tactical videos made by Hasala and Pancaek. Emphasize that a core principle is that of ‘living to fight another day’. This will often mean avoiding large scale engagements with the enemy’s center of power, but striking at targets (be that personal, material or resources) where opposition is more easily overcome, to sap their strength. Example quote: "The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue." -Mao Zedong- 4) closing comments -Point out the importance of coordination among individual insurgent cells and stress that cooperation with ARM will increase their chances of success. Category:Game